Stop Hunger and the World Food Programme Join Forces to Develop Innovative and Sustainable Hunger Solutions

Desember 15, 2014

Stop Hunger, an endowment fund created by Sodexo to fight against hunger and malnutrition around the world, and the World Food Programme (WFP), the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger, have signed a three-year partnership agreement to work together toward a world with zero hunger. Although 805 million people suffer from hunger today, making it the world’s number one health issue, it is a problem that can be solved.

Through this partnership, Stop Hunger will help WFP strengthen its School Meals Program, which feeds 20 million schoolchildren in more than 60 countries around the globe—often in the hardest-to-reach areas with high rates of chronic malnutrition. Specifically, the partnership will focus on creating a sustainable link between local agricultural production and free school meals, helping ensure that the food children receive is healthy, diversified and from local sources as often as possible. Sodexo will leverage its skills-based sponsorship program through which employees can share their expertise to help make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children by supporting local economies.

Stop Hunger will also enable WFP to strengthen its emergency operations by reinforcing its food voucher operations. Food vouchers are key to WFP emergency relief and reconstruction operations because they allow vulnerable people affected by disasters to make their own food choices while supporting the local economy. During natural or food emergencies, Sodexo, through Stop Hunger, and its stakeholders will also support WFP by providing storage spaces, transportation and other resources, when possible.

The partnership’s costs will be covered by Stop Hunger, enabling the World Food Programme to benefit from the transfer of skills at zero cost. In addition, Stop Hunger is committed to multiplying the impact of the partnership by organizing fundraising campaigns for WFP’s school meals programs and emergency operations throughout Sodexo’s entire ecosystem: employees, clients, consumers, suppliers and shareholders.

"There is no such thing as quality of life if basic needs are not met. This is why Sodexo created Stop Hunger in 1996. WFP is the organization that understood us the best. We share the same values and work ethic. It is a well-balanced partnership as our different areas of expertise combined with their in-depth knowledge of complex hunger mechanisms will enable us to build sustainable and innovative solutions together," said Clodine Pincemin, President of the Stop Hunger endowment fund.

"Partnerships are instrumental for achieving a world with zero hunger," said Jay Aldous, WFP’s Director of Private Sector Partnerships. "We are excited to partner with Stop Hunger and draw on Sodexo’s expertise in vouchers and foodservices, which will help us create more innovative approaches to reaching those we serve."

About Stop Hunger
Stop Hunger was created by Sodexo—the world leader in quality of life services—in the U.S. in 1996. Today, Stop Hunger is an independent endowment fund with a mission to fight hunger and malnutrition throughout the world. In order to achieve its goal, Stop Hunger relies on the entire Sodexo ecosystem: Sodexo employees, clients, consumers, suppliers and shareholders.
In 2014, Stop Hunger was present in 43 countries, served 4.3 million free meals to some of the most vulnerable populations and raised 4.2 million euros to finance innovative projects throughout the world.
www.stop-hunger.org

About the World Food Programme
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. In 2013, WFP assisted more than 80 million people in 75 countries.
http://www.wfp.org

About the Zero Hunger Challenge
The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June 2012 to mobilize governments, international organizations, the private sector and NGOs around five main objectives:

• 100 percent access to adequate food all year round
• Zero stunted children under the age of 2
• All food systems are sustainable
• 100 percent increase in smallholder productivity and income
• Zero loss or waste of food